Our heart doctors
thoroughly review all imaging studies, making careful treatment recommendations
based on all available information. Our team is skilled in both interpreting cardiovascular
images and putting them into clinical use to deliver the best possible care to our
patients.

Conditions We Diagnose with Cardiovascular Imaging

Our highly skilled
heart specialists evaluate people who have been diagnosed with or are suspected
to have heart conditions, using cardiovascular imaging such as:

Cardiac catheterization: This is a minimally invasive
procedure in which a camera at the end of a thin, flexible tube (catheter) is
used to examine the heart. Cardiac catheters also can be used to administer
drugs and unblock narrowed coronary arteries.

Echocardiography (echo or
cardiac ultrasound): An
echocardiogram is a noninvasive procedure that provides images of the heart
valves and chambers. It can be used to determine the presence of heart disease
and measure the effectiveness of treatments. Types of echocardiography include:

Positron emission
tomography (PET)/nuclear heart imaging: PET/nuclear heart scans use a safe, radioactive substance that is
injected into the patient’s bloodstream to create detailed 3-D images of the
heart. PET can be used to monitor blood flow and evaluate the condition of the heart.

Clinical
Trials

As one of the nation’s top academic medical centers, UT Southwestern offers a
number of clinical trials aimed at improving the outcomes of patients with
cardiovascular disease.

Clinical trials often
give patients access to leading-edge treatments that are not yet widely
available. Eligible patients who choose to participate in one of UT
Southwestern’s clinical trials might receive treatments years before they are
available to the public.